Chemistry
by superxprettyxkitty
Summary: It was the summer of nineteen ninety six and the transition between fifth and sixth year for a certain Pure-blood student at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The sun was still high in the sky that late evening, warm scarlet and vermilion rays were glistening over the grounds of a magnificent Sussex mansion deep in the countryside and well out of sight of any passers-by,
1. Chapter 1

SnapexDraco

MalexMale

I wasn't originally going to post this on fanfiction but I figured, what the hey! Here's an early Solstice/ Christmas/ Hanukkah/ anything else present to my readers who love Draco X Snape!

WARNINGS APPLY

Don't like it? Don't read, you found this so you know what you're reading.

Reviews? They inspire me.

Enjoy! - SXPXK

It was the summer of nineteen ninety six and the transition between fifth and sixth year for a certain Pure-blood student at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The sun was still high in the sky that late evening, warm scarlet and vermillion rays were glistening over the grounds of a magnificent Sussex mansion deep in the countryside and well out of sight of any passers-by, Muggle or magical. Unless you knew of the exact location, one could not simply stumble upon the beautiful building with vast, well-kept grounds.

It wasn't exactly deserted as a young boy stretched out on his balcony overlooking the beautiful grounds, his platinum blonde hair shimmering in the gentle rays of the fading sun. Every so often a peacock strutted out past one of the hedges flexing its long feathers and pecked hungrily at the immaculate grassland. The boy sighed resting his chin on his hands. To any normal person this would have been perfect, it would have been beautiful but to this one troubled teenager he just couldn't enjoy his beautiful home.

Draco Malfoy was at a difficult time in his life, not just because he had the normal struggles and worries of a sixteen year old boy but because he was also right on the brink of joining forces with the ultimate darkness, the Dark Lord Voldemort himself. Although he knew he wasn't the only one up for consideration in his school year, it still didn't make him feel any less alone.

His mother, Narissa, not a Death Eater herself but married to one and Draco understood the difficulties and strain it put but his mother and father were very much in love the same as they always had been. He wondered briefly whether he would ever be married, whether a nice, respectable woman of noble birth would ever stand by his side the way his own mother stood bravely by her husband helping and supporting him through all these years living in fear that the Dark Lord would return, the fear of what would happen when he did come back, how he would react to the seeming disloyalty of his father, Lucius.

Speaking of which, that was another one of Draco's many worries. His father had recently been convicted and sent to Azkaban after what happened at the Department of Mysteries only a few short weeks ago. Lucius had, but of course, been all over the news. A Ministry official sentenced to Azkaban for Death Eater crimes, Lucius Malfoy, pure-blood respectable jailed for suspicious activity.

Draco sighed and watched as the peacocks drawled lazily all over the grass.

With a seemingly large amount of effort, the boy heaved himself away from the edge of the balcony moving back inside his grand, expensive bedroom. He surveyed the room, never once had he felt privileged to have this place, never once had he ever thought of how lucky he was, never once had he ever thought he may be taking his life for granted despite knowing what other students at school had to live with and put up with on a daily basis even when they were actually in school. Not many were as fortunate as him, especially not if they weren't pure and of noble descent.

If he joined would he return to school and never come back to this house again? What if something went wrong on a mission or personal orders and he was punished or even killed and never saw his mother again?

Draco began to tremble.

A knock at the door interrupted his train of thought, Draco looked up in surprise and blinked his pale eyes. "Come in" he called.

The door opened and instead of seeing his mother, Draco was slightly surprised as to who the intruder was.

"Snape" he blinked.

"Well spotted, Draco" Snape's cool voice rang through the air as he moved a short way into the room looking slightly tensed. He did not close the door.

"Why are you here?" Draco asked rather bluntly.

Snape blinked. "I'm surprised at your tone, Draco, you're not usually this…. Cold…." His dark eyes bore into Draco's grey ones and the boy looked away nervously.

"Did my mother send for you?"

"No actually, I'm here of my own accord" the man explained. "Although your mother has informed me that your initiation into our dangerous, deadly ranks falls in just a few days-time" Snape went on. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into…."

"Here to talk me out of it then?" Draco's voice rose slightly, mostly with the anxiety he was refusing to show.

"I merely-"

"Why? Do you regret joining the Dark Lord's services?!"

"Draco, settle" Snape said in a much firmer voice, one he normally reserved for misbehaving Hufflepuff first-year's. When the boy fell silent, Snape resumed talking. "I know I cannot stop you from joining his services, nor can I change your mind on that matter, I joined when I was a teenager too and I did not understand the reality of it, I do not…. Regret…. My lifestyle choices, however, you should know what you're getting yourself into"

"I don't need your help!" Draco spat.

Snape held up a hand to silence him. "Your choices are not limited, people are dying every day, you may end up being the one to kill somebody, Draco" Snape said silkily. "But I'm sure that won't bother a hard-nut Death Eater like you…."

Draco stared. "What is it you want here, exactly?"

"To offer you my support and advice, I know what it's like and I know just how you're feeling. You're doing what is expected of you more so than what you actually want to do, you're scared and I know it and with your father recently incapaci-"

"NO!" Draco shouted angrily. "Do not talk about my father that way! You have no right!"

"On the contrary, your father and I are friends" Snape smiled nastily.

Draco stared. "It's partly your fault, you should have been-"

"Been where? With them? Against the Dark Lord's wishes? Oh, Draco, you have much to learn" Snape sneered. "When you join his side, you cannot simply drop everything and do what you think or try your best to save everyone else, of course, rescue your friends and help out other Death Eater's if you are with them but you simply cannot abandon your assigned punishment unless you wish to face a severe punishment or worse…."

Draco swallowed. "I thought-"

"No, you didn't think at all" Snape replied slowly. "It's a good job I came here today, your mother seems very worried about you too"

"She is, she's wary of me joining but if it's what I want to do then she will support me like she does my father, she refuses to join herself…."

"In some ways, she has the right idea" Snape said slowly.

They stared at one another for a few moments and Draco looked away.

"When school resumes I want you to report to me weekly" Snape said. "My office, every Friday evening and if need be I will see you often, anything goes on in the meantime and I want to know from you before I find out from somebody else, understood?"

"Yes, Professor" said Draco.

"Very well, good luck at your initiation" said Snape as he turned to leave the room.

"Wait- aren't you coming?"

Snape hesitated in the doorway. "No" he said simply before he turned leaving the boy alone with his thoughts closing the door on him.

When Snape was gone, Draco sighed heavily. He was sure he wasn't making a mistake, he had to make his friends proud, his family proud and most of all, the Dark Lord proud. Yes, he would accomplish all of this before the year was out….

….

The night before his initiation arrived and Draco was starting to feel very nervous. Tomorrow he would be signing away his life, putting himself under rule of a master and exchanging his lifestyle for a new one.

Draco briefly chuckled to himself. "I wonder if marriage will be that way"

"Draco?" His mother's voice filtered up the stairs and he sat up from where he was lounging on the settee in his bedroom.

"Yes, mother?"

"Can you come down here for a minute, please? I want to talk to you about tomorrow" Narcissa's voice rang softly up the stairs.

Draco knew his mother well, her cold, hardened exterior and icy, sharp voice were reserved for outside company, people of a lesser state and when she was angry. At home with her husband and son she was a much kinder, more loving person.

"Yes, mum!" he called back getting up and stretching.

It was dark outside by now, the evening was rolling in quickly and Draco sighed to himself as he left the comforts of his bedroom and headed down the grand staircase on the right leading to the lower floors.

He was certain his mother would be sitting in the downstairs living room.

He made his way down to the sitting room very casually, opening the door he spotted his mother straight away sitting on the sofa with her legs tucked under herself sipping a goblet of deep, blood-red wine.

"Sit down, Draco" she said quietly gesturing to nowhere. "And close the door, will you? I don't like the thought of those pesky little elves listening in on us"

Draco nodded and closed the door quietly despite the fact the elves were not hanging about outside. He moved over and sat down beside his mother with a small gap between them.

There was a pause.

"It's not too late, you know" she began.

"Mum!" Draco groaned in exasperation. "We've been through all of this before!"

"I know, Draco, but please listen" she said. "Are you absolutely certain this is what you want to do?"

"Yes"

"Because nobody is pressuring you, darling, your father and I will always be proud of you no matter what" she said firmly reaching over and touching the side of his face.

Draco stared into his mother's delicate face his eyebrows furrowing together for a few second before his face became strong and almost impassive once again. "I know what I have to do , mother, I know my own destiny and this is for me, I turned sixteen a few weeks ago I'm old enough with good recommendations from my father and from Snape…. There's no reason why I can't join, I want to do this and I want to prove myself!"

Narcissa pursed her lips as though sucking on a sour, raw lemon.

"Please don't look at me in that disapproving manner!" Draco groaned. "I'm doing what's best for everyone!"

"Including yourself?" she tried.

"Don't tell me that you disagree with the way Mudblood's should be treated?" Draco said his grey eyes narrowing in a challenging sort of manner. "Don't you truly believe in what you've been teaching me for my entire life?!"

"Of course I do, do not speak to me in that manner, child!" she said harshly and Draco fell silent. "Never challenge me again, I was merely worried for your safety as I value that above the 'greater good' of the Wizarding world!" she argued.

Draco's mouth twisted awkwardly as he fought to think of something intelligent to say.

"If I cannot stop you then I will stand by you, I shall be there at your side on your initiation day" she said slowly. "Tomorrow we head out to Borgin and Burkes and we will begin then, be ready" she said quietly.

Draco nodded slowly and looked down as he felt his mother's arms wrap around him hugging him tightly.

"I do worry about you, Draco" she breathed.

Draco swallowed and nodded returning her warm embrace. They held it for several more moments before parting.

"Now go on up to bed" she said gently as she used her wand to pour herself some more wine. "I will see you in the morning, goodnight"

"Goodnight, mother" he said quietly as he got to his feet and left without looking back….


	2. Chapter 2

The rain fell over the grounds of the mansion that morning, heavily pregnant clouds loomed over, if one looked outside it would simply appear to be close to night time by now. The air was warm and humid with just the slightest threat of storms appearing at some point.

Draco Malfoy had bigger problems than being caught in a summer shower, last night was terrible. Each time he managed to drift off to sleep it was filled with gaunt terrors of masked faces, dark smoke and a murky green water. Nothing made sense but at the same time it was vividly clear and he wished more than anything he could just drift off into a deep sleep of nothingness, dead to the world to get through the few hours of terror and torture he knew he would have to endure today. Still, other people managed it so why should he be any exception?

Slowly but sure he got up and made his way into his little private bathroom, he bathed, he washed, he brushed his teeth and stood staring at his reflection in the mirror. Sixteen years old and joining forces with the darkest and most dangerous men of all time. Lord Voldemort. Although he was certain Voldemort himself would not turn up to the initiation of a boy of sixteen, he would have much better things to worry about and after that little stint at the Ministry weeks ago he would have to lay low for a while. The little stint that landed his father in Azkaban for the time being.

Draco sighed heavily, he knew he had to do this for his mother, for her sake and for his father, he needed to prove himself worthy, he needed to make himself heard, he had to get his foot on that career ladder and the only way to do it was to be like his father, to step into his shoes, the shoes so immense to fill. In some ways he knew his father was stupid for ever getting involved in this shit to begin with but who was he to judge and fault the man that gave him life? Sure, other people were willing to do so, even his mother but she was a strong woman, she knew what she was doing and he was proud to have her, she would be the sort of woman he would want to marry, if that should ever happen. He chuckled with amusement to himself "If I ever get married and have children, I will not put them through this, not ever" he breathed.

"Draco?" his mother called knocking him out of his dazed thoughts.

He swallowed and looked up at his reflection in the mirror.

"It's time" her voice was somewhat strained.

Draco emitted a nervous, shaky breath as he walked back into his bedroom and pulled on the long, hooded black robes (somewhat like Death Eater robes) before he headed off down the stairs, reeling with anticipation. He met his mother at the bottom of the long, grand staircase and smiled to her vaguely but she did not catch his eye. She was upset and he could understand that but this is what he had to do, he also sort of wanted this, there were much better and bigger things he wanted but he needed the power, the intimidation, the recognition, the knowledge. He needed to gain experience and when the world was finally free of the Muggles and the reign of filth, he could relax and sit back without a care in the world. Hopefully things would be different by then, much different, but for now he would have to grit his teeth and take whatever came to him.

"Are you ready to leave now, Draco?" the woman asked her voice light and airy like it always was when she was anxious or frightened. She peered out of the curtains and snapped them shut again deciding there was nothing important going on there.

"Yes, mother" he tried to sound as calm and level as he could despite his nerves.

She nodded to him once and they left the house, the elf waved goodbye to their retreating backs before she closed the door carefully behind hem and set off for her days chores.

One step out of the main gates and they were gone.

...

They arrived in Diagon Alley some seconds later, Draco was used to apparating alongside someone and so straightening his robes was really the only thing he had to deal with on the landing. He followed his mother swiftly and silently down the backstreets until they reached Knockturn Alley, they didn't want to suddenly just appear somewhere like that especially after Lucius' arrest and he was claiming it was a misunderstanding and his family were not like that. Narcissa Malfoy was sensible and although she didn't want to appear in public right now, she was only going to appear obviously in reputable places, the middle of Knockturn Alley was not one of them.

A tiny bell jingled as they entered the dark, dank shop slipping inside. The worker appeared looking grim-faced but otherwise unharmed.

"Good morning, Mrs Malfoy" he said in a low voice giving her a small bow keeping his eyes focused on hers. "Here for young master's ceremony?" he asked his eyes flickering nervously to Draco for a moment whom had managed to keep his face solemn like his mother's. She was a very good teacher.

"Yes, thank you" she said in a low voice pulling her dark wrap closer around her torso. "Through the back?" she asked raising her fine, blonde eyebrows at him questioningly.

"Yes ma'am" he said bowing his head and allowing her to pass with her son in tow.

Draco followed through, he swallowed looking almost helplessly to the man behind the counter, his eyes were fixated on the counter in front of him staring hard at the wood so much so that Draco knew he were trying desperately not to shoot a terrified expression at the boy. He didn't want this, he didn't want them here but he had no choice.

Just like Draco.

….

Mrs Malfoy turned just before they reached the final back room, she lifted her son's hood and pulled it over his head covering his hair just like she did with her own. "It's not too late, Draco…."

"No" he said turning his face away sharply. "I have to, for father"

She pursed her lips and nodded silently. "Come" she whispered and he followed her obediently into the room.

The back room was eerily silent, very dimly lit with only a deeply smoking cauldron in the centre casting light all around the room. Draco kept his face concealed beneath the oversized hood, grateful for its protection.

There were people here. People around the room but he could not tell if they were males of females. Possibly a mixture of both? Everyone was wearing the same dark, long, billowing robes and for a moment there Draco thought perhaps it were some twisted mirror joke, a false area, a trick room filled with only one man, Snape, standing there and this would all be a horribly nightmare or perhaps a joke.

Sickening.

But no, it wasn't.

"Draco Malfoy" Narcissa spoke in a strong, clear voice that echoed around the room.

There was a small crackle of the fire lit beneath the cauldron but nothing happened and slowly a hooded figure stepped forward and extended a hand.

"Welcome" she spoke and Draco instantly recognised the voice.

Bellatrix.

He lifted his head slowly to look up, he couldn't see her but he stepped forward and placed his hand in hers bowing his head to her as a great sign of respect. She was in the highest of rankings with Lord Voldemort, she was his most faithful servant, she was the elite, the best of the best and she was the one they all wanted to be, the one they all HAD to respect whether they wanted to or not.

"Today is a pretty big day for you, Draco" her voice was soft and smooth like pure satin-silk. "Lest not we forget"

Draco tried to swallow his nerves and kept his head bowed as a mark of respect. There was a silence where the only sound that could be heard was the bubbling of the deep cauldron in the centre of the room. The other Death Eaters stood around there, heads bowed too not moving, not flinching, barely even breathing. They were witness, that was all.

Bellatrix moved closer to the cauldron and walked so slowly around it, only the sound of her low boot heels clicking and creaking against the old wooden floorboards could be heard as Draco sank his teeth into his bottom lip. He could feel the presence of his mother beside him, she was still, rigid, fearful but strong, oh so very strong.

Bella moved again and raised her arms to the ceiling, her fingers spread wide apart, her dark hooded eyes closed as she inhaled through her nose loudly enough for him to hear.

Draco flinched listening to her murmured incantations, the other Death Eater's heads rose somewhat, a few shot glances to one another but most either looked to the cauldron or to Bellatrix for guidance.

"Come forward, Draco..." her voice was like a soft hiss, if he didn't know better he would suspect her of being a Parselmouth.

Obediently, he stepped forward resting his left hand in hers as a hand stirred over the cauldron.

A sudden noise outside caught his attention and he looked up sharply, Bellatrix cracked an eye open as a few of her Death Eater friends looked to the dank, dirty window panes searching for the source.

"Someone is out there" Narcissa said coolly. "YOU!" she barked at one of the males standing just ahead of her. "Close the curtains, I don't want anyone seeing in"

"Yes, ma'am" he bowed his head and scurried to snap them shut staring out of them one last time as though trying to see who or what had made such a strange sound. It had to be a human and that just wouldn't do, it just wouldn't do to be seen here doing such dark things.

Bellatrix seemed fixated on her work as her eye closed again and slowly she turned Draco's arm over. "Do you, Draco Malfoy, accept the Dark Lord as your one true master?"

"Yes" his voice cracked a little.

"Do you swear to obey him, to follow his leadership, to work for him, under him and by him?"

"Yes" now Draco was fighting his frantic urge to tremble. Bellatrix didn't seem to notice. Good.

She quickly slashed open his sleeve pressing her wand into his left forearm staring at it as though it were something menacing, almost terrifying but he knew she wasn't scared.

She was enjoying this.

"Then be marked forever, under your master..."

Draco clenched his eyes shut.

This would all be over soon...

...


End file.
